Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



"W. PALMER.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Dec. 22, 1863. 7

UNITED 'dra'rns PATENT mica.

WILLIAM PALMER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4L0l7, dated December 22, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PALMER, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the breech and the barrel at the rear end. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, and Fig. 3 is a crosssection at the line a: as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts.

Breechloading firearms have heretofore been constructed with a sectional screw and with inclined lugs to force the cartridge into the barrel and to sustain the breech-pin against the explosion. Cartridges have also been formed with metallic eases containing fulminating material in a hollow flange around the base, and forks and levers have been employed to draw out and deliver from the breech the metallic case of the exploded cartridge. My invention does not relate to either of these devices, as they are separately well known.

My said invention consists in a collar applied around the breech-pin and carrying a spring-latch that draws out the cartridgecase, in combination with a spring-ejector that delivers the empty case from the breech, leaving the space ready for the reception of the next cartridge. Thus the withdrawal of the breech causes the ejection of the case. I also make use of a peculiarly-constructed hammer, that strikes upon the flange of the cartridge for its explosion.

In thedrawings, a represents part of any ordinary stock, and b the barrel, united or connected in the usual manner.

In the barrel 1) isa mortise or opening, as at c, and d is the breech-pin, extending from the front edge of this slot 0 to the rear of the barrel, and provided with the sectional screw or inclined lugs, as at the dotted lines e, and with the lever f, by which the said breech-pin is given a partial rotation for its retention or release, and by which said breech-pin can be slid back and forth to open the rear end of the cartridge-chamber of the barrel, or close the the same, as now usual.

The breech-pin d is made in two parts, held together by the screw Z, as seen in Fig. 1, in

order that the collar 9 may be introduced in a the breech-pin may turn without rotating said collar; and on this collar is aspring-latch,h, that extends from the collar 9 sufficiently beyond the end of the breech-pin to take the flange of the metallic cartridge-case m; and in the rear part of b is a groove in which this spring h slides and is guided as the breech-pin d, collar g, and spring h are moved back and forth, for pressing in or withdrawing the car;- tridge and case m, that is entered through the said opening 0. A springejector, "i, is fitted on the under side of b, and the point passes through the prolongation of the barrel 1) 0p posite to the slot or, opening a, and as the breech d is drawn back and the case is withdrawn by h from the cartridge-chamber this ejector i springs up against the side of the said case and throws the same out of the opening 0, so that the breech is ready for the reception of the next cartridge. The rear edge of this ejector is beveled, as seen in Fig.2, and the forward edge of the breech-pin d is also beveled, as at k, in order that said ejector may be forced back as the breech-pin is slid forward. This part k, Fig. 2, will, when the breech-pin is partly turned and retracted, be on the line of the ejector a is the hammer, actuated by any character of parts in the lock; and 0 is the trigger, which should also act on a bolt, 1), entering a hole in d, (see Fig. 1,) to prevent the discharge of the piece until the correct position of the breech-pin for firing brings the said hole over this bolt.

The end of the hammer is formed with a projection at s, to take the hollow flange of the cartridge-case and explode the same; and in order to allow the hammer to strike the same, I provide a notch at r in the side of the breech-pin d at the front end.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The collar 9 and spring h, applied to the breech-pin cl, as specified, for the purposes set forth, and, in combination therewith, the ejector t, for the purposes and as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 23d day of July, 1863.

IVM. PALMER. lVitnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, OHAs. E. SMITH. 

